Brazil and France target World Cup semi-finals

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MOSCOW, July 6, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Favourites Brazil and Neymar take on a
talented Belgium side in the World Cup quarter-finals on Friday while an
exciting young France team led by emerging superstar Kylian Mbappe must pass
a tough test against Uruguay.

As the World Cup bursts back into life, Brazil are aiming to continue on
the path towards winning a record-extending sixth World Cup at Moscow’s
Luzhniki Stadium on July 15.

But first, Neymar and his star-studded supporting cast have to get past
Belgium, who boast an array of their own firepower, to reach the last four.

In a Kazan Arena expected to be awash with yellow-clad Brazil fans at the
1800 GMT kickoff, Belgian trio Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne
have a chance to prove they can cut it at the highest international level
after so many disappointments.

Belgium coach Roberto Martinez acknowledged the gulf in World Cup pedigree
between his side, who have never been further than the semi-finals, and
Brazil.

“They know how to win World Cups, they’ve done it more than any other
nation so they have that psychological barrier out of the way,” the Spaniard
said.

“Of course we want to win and we’re going to try to win. The most
important aspect tomorrow is our chance to play in the quarter-final.

Brazil coach Tite said he was desperate to win without resorting to the
“horror” of penalties after three of the last-16 ties were settled by spot-
kicks.

“A football match should never be settled with the horror of penalties. I
don’t see that as a valid result,” Tite said Thursday. “For me, there has to
be another way.”

Brazil made a slow start in Russia but hit their stride with an impressive
performance to shut down Mexico in the last round.

All eyes will again be on Neymar’s performance. The world’s most expensive
player has attracted praise for his goals and fierce criticism for his play-
acting at the merest contact from an opponent.

He has brushed off the barbs, saying: “I don’t care much for criticism, or
praise, because this can influence your attitude.”

France overran Argentina in a last-16 match that appeared to signal the
passing of a torch to a new generation of superstars, as 19-year-old Mbappe
scored twice to outshine Lionel Messi and dump the 2014 finalists out of the
competition.

Nobody in the French camp is under any illusions that Uruguay will give
them the acres of space they enjoyed against the disorganised Argentine
defence.

“Uruguay have so many assets, so many qualities,” said France coach Didier
Deschamps. “They defend as a unit, they play together and they love to do
that.”

Uruguay will make a last-minute decision on whether prolific striker
Edinson Cavani will play after he suffered a calf injury in his impressive
two-goal performance that ended the hopes of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.

Cavani was back in training on Thursday and France are acutely aware of
the threat posed by the man who plays for Paris Saint-Germain.

“I am preparing my team for if Cavani plays,” Deschamps said, adding he
would only know 90 minutes before kickoff.

France are likely to draft in Bayern Munich’s Corentin Tolisso in place of
the suspended Blaise Matuidi to add steel to their midfield.

In England, World Cup fever is building as hopes rise that Gareth
Southgate’s young team can beat Sweden on Saturday and reach the semi-finals
for the first time since 1990.

“It’s a great opportunity, and although our team will be individually
better in two years, we might not have this opportunity again,” he told the
BBC.

Even if England do reach the final, British political leaders and royals
will not attend the match in Russia. The boycott imposed over a nerve agent
attack on a former Russian spy living in southwest England has taken on new
significance after a fresh case of exposure to the same poison nearby.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino told President Vladimir Putin that
everyone had fallen “in love with Russia” during the World Cup, during a
meeting Friday at the Kremlin.

“Everyone who has been here for a period of time now has discovered a
country that we didn’t know,” Infantino said, flanked by former stars
including England’s Rio Ferdinand.

England or Sweden will play the winner of Saturday’s other quarter-final,
in which host nation Russia hope to keep their rollercoaster ride through the
finals going when they play Croatia.

Written off as no-hopers before the tournament, Russia are now within
reach of their first World Cup semi-final since 1966.